President Trump denies accusations

President Trump on Tuesday issued a denial of claims printed in the Washington Post by a woman who says he forcibly kissed her in the lobby of an office building in New York City a decade ago.

In a tweet, the president rejected accusations from Rachel Crooks, a then-22-year-old secretary in a neighboring office building who says Trump grabbed her and began forcibly kissing her upon meeting him in 2006.

“A woman I don’t know and, to the best of my knowledge, never met, is on the FRONT PAGE of the Fake News Washington Post saying I kissed her (for two minutes yet) in the lobby of Trump Tower 12 years ago,” the president wrote on Twitter.

“Never happened! Who would do this in a public space with live security……” he added.

Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump

A woman I don’t know and, to the best of my knowledge, never met, is on the FRONT PAGE of the Fake News Washington Post saying I kissed her (for two minutes yet) in the lobby of Trump Tower 12 years ago. Never happened! Who would do this in a public space with live security……

9:16 AM – Feb 20, 2018

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The tweet comes following the Post’s publication of the claims Tuesday morning in a feature of Crooks, now 35, who is running for state office in Ohio in part to tell her story about what she says happened just over ten years ago when she met the future president.

“He took hold of my hand and held me in place like this,” she said, squeezing the sides of the water glass, shaking it gently from side to side. “He started kissing me on one cheek, then the other cheek. He was talking to me in between kisses, asking where I was from, or if I wanted to be a model. He wouldn’t let go of my hand, and then he went right in and started kissing me on the lips,” Crooks told the newspaper.

Crooks was one of 19 women who came forward with accusations of sexual assault and other misconduct from then-candidate Trump during the 2016 election, claims that were denied by Trump and his aides during the campaign.

“Totally made up nonsense to steal the election. Nobody has more respect for women than me!” Trump tweeted in 2016 after the claims surfaced initially.

Despite Trump’s denials, Crooks says she will continue sharing her story to speak out against the “character” of the president, dismissing the idea of a lawsuit.

“I know there are many worse forms of sexual harassment, but doesn’t this still speak to character?” she told the newspaper. “I don’t want money. I don’t need a lawsuit. I just want people to listen. How many women have to come forward? What will it take to get a response?”

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